I have a Browning X Bolt in 300 Win Mag with a 26 inch barrel. I am about to have my gunsmith cut the barrel down to 24 inches.

[Kody]

I have a Browning X Bolt in 300 Win Mag with a 26 inch barrel. I am about to have my gunsmith cut the barrel down to 24 inches. I am prepared to give up a little velocity by way of shaving inches. I am doing this as I find the longer barrel pushes the balance of the rifle too far forward making it feel like the end of the barrels wants to drop. It requires additional effort on the fore end of the stock to maintain when shooting freehand.. Additionally, it sure hangs up on overhead branches and the like as I walk the bush with it slung over my shoulder. What do you think? Perhaps they had something very specific in mind at Browning in rigging this rifle with the long barrel??? I want it to point better and carry easier. Accuracy is exceptional now, what do think will result with the thing shortened and crowned with an inset??

[JM]

Shouldnt effect accuracy. Long barreled guns are often designed for hunting over a field or in a tree stand all day long. Personally I usually hunt with a Winchester '94 which is basically designed to be a brush gun(I also hunt with a Winchester Model 70 in 7mm mag and it is definetely harder to carry through the brush - I think it is also a 26" barrel but not sure). When slung over my shoulder the tip of the barrel on my '94 is lower that the top of my head which makes it very easy to avoid hitting in on branches.

[charlie elk]

My personal preference would be to buy another gun, normally cutting off a barrel devalues a gun. Besides who has ever figured out how many guns is too many?
Check out any one of the fine scout rifles out this year. They have short barrels and shoot good. I've used a Ruger for years on hunts from WI to AK and love the compact performance.
later,
charlie

[30-CAL]

You could expect to lose around 50-75 FPS which would not matter to anything you would point the rifle at. I have a Remington 700 in a 7mag and it sports a 24 inch barrel. If a good gunsmith does the work you should have no problems with the accuracy.

[Treestand]

I would go with Charlie elk, I have a Rem M/7..7mm/08
Compac 18.5"Bbl,I hunt T-Stands in Woods Line and I Cover Bean Field, with Hornady's SST-Lm ammo I jump the gap of a short Bbl, this past season I droped a Buck at 287Yd and a Doe at 60Yd. 26"Bbl,are old school
Tec when powder's of yester year were used!
CUT-it to 22" or buy New!!!

[6phunter]

Browning Arms might be interested in you,since they have only been making firearms a few years your ideas how to improve on thier rifle design mite be useful.Kinda like jacked up trucks if they performed better customised they would have made them that way.It;s your rifle if cutting off two inches helps,4 or 5 more inches should really improve it;s accuracy.

[DSMbirddog]

I'm with Charlie on this one. I would consider getting a different rifle. I would even consider something like a Ruger Untralight with a 20 inch barrel in 308 or 30-06 and save the Browning for hunting out west or when hunting from a stand.

[charlie elk]

Something else to consider. Cutting off a barrel requires recrowning which from what I've heard rarely leaves you with a rifle as accurate as the one you started with.
later,
charlie

[Trapper Vic]

I'd contact a good gun smith to answer this one. This would change the twist in the rifling. Not sure of the effect?

[Smitty18]

I would say you should get a new gun.

[Smitty18]

I am with Charlie on this one, new gun may be the way to go.

[Kody]

Ok you guys! I will have to ponder this one. Dropping to a lesser caliber is not an option, I want the Magnum on my African safari. If I sell the rifle at this time, I will lose no more than the value I would by way of shortening the barrel should I decide to sell it later. The bolt and the trigger are great, so the issue will be the possibility of a significant loss of accuracy by way of this shortening operation. I have 180 gr Swift A Frame bullets shooting well and I am able to mess with different powders as a possible option to address velocity and accuracy issues. Umm! I will sit on the decision for a few days.

[charlie elk]

Hey Kody,
I think an African safari is a great excuse for a new gun. Think hard before you let this opportunity slip by. ;-D)))
An Alaskan friend has a Ruger in .338 with I think a 22" or 24" barrel. He carries it all the time in the AK bush as bear repellant. He took it to Africa last year and came back trophy heavy.
Good luck shopping and hunting.
later,
charlie

[charlie elk]

Kody wrote - ("mess with different powders as a possible option to address velocity and accuracy issues.")
If the smith doesn't get the new crown exactly right, no tinkering with the load will fix the accuracy side of this equation.
later,
charlie

[Kody]

OK Charlie, I will check out a Sako 300 Win Mag in Model 85. I hope they are on sale. I will look at a synthetic version with a 24 inch stainless barrel. Yes, you heard right... I will consider getting one of those ugly rifles that I swore I would never own! Why the change of heart... because I can handle the wallop of the lighter gun better than I can handle packing the extra weight of the heavier more beautiful rifles. Between a new hip and sore knees I believe I should seek out every possible advantage. Other than that I have to put my wife through an intensive fitness regiment prior to the safari so that she can be my 'gun bearer'!
We saw that movie Grey tonight where the wolves dine on oilfield workers. Perhaps she will want to carry more than her camera on this safari!!